The owner of a kosher grocery store in the Boston-area is speaking out after a brick with “Free Palestine” on it was thrown through his business’s window Saturday night.

The owner of The Butcherie, Gil Zilberberg, said a brick was thrown through the window of his store in Brookline—a Boston suburb with a large Jewish population— by masked men early around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.

“This is an attack on the Jewish people of Boston,” Zilberberg told The Daily Wire. “Nobody should be fearful of coming to get kosher food.”

Surveillance footage obtained by The Daily Wire shows a group of masked vandals behind and beside the store before one of them runs up and hurls a brick through a map displaying winery locations in Israel. The group quickly ran away down the street. Police are investigating the incident, but no one has been apprehended.

“There is a non-political statement here. This is a map of Israel with all the best wines that Israel has to offer,” Zilberberg said. “This is just a pure hate crime.”

One of the grocery store’s employees found the brick and shattered glass when coming to open the store Sunday morning.

The 54-year-old store is the only kosher grocery in the Boston area and has been in Zilberberg’s family since his grandfather opened it in 1971.

“This has never happened in the Butcherie’s history,” Zilberberg said.

Zilberberg pointed out that the vandalism occurred overnight when his fellow Jews in Israel were sheltering from Iranian ballistic missiles.

“I feel horrible as a Jewish person that we have to go through these things these days,” Zilberberg said.

Since the launch of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion,” aimed at destroying Iranian weapons and nuclear capabilities, Iran has fired 270 missiles at Israel—22 of which have struck targets—according to the Israeli government. Thirteen people have been killed, including three children. Another 380 have been injured: 9 are in serious condition, 30 are in moderate condition, and 351 sustained minor injuries.

There is a rally planned by the local Jewish community to show support for Zilberberg at 2:00 p.m. outside the establishment. 

Anti-Semitic incidents have surged by 500% since October 7, 2023, with 1,200 reported incidents, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League.

“This is the latest in a string of attacks on the Jewish community where the words ‘Free Palestine’ were used to weaponize violence against Jews,” ADL New England said in a statement. “Holding a Jewish business accountable for the situation in the Middle East is antisemitic, plain and simple and is another example of radical anti-Israel activity resulting in violence against the Jewish community.”

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The owner of a kosher grocery store in the Boston-area is speaking out after a brick with “Free Palestine” on it was thrown through his business’s window Saturday night.

The owner of The Butcherie, Gil Zilberberg, said a brick was thrown through the window of his store in Brookline—a Boston suburb with a large Jewish population— by masked men early around 1:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.

“This is an attack on the Jewish people of Boston,” Zilberberg told The Daily Wire. “Nobody should be fearful of coming to get kosher food.”

Surveillance footage obtained by The Daily Wire shows a group of masked vandals behind and beside the store before one of them runs up and hurls a brick through a map displaying winery locations in Israel. The group quickly ran away down the street. Police are investigating the incident, but no one has been apprehended.

“There is a non-political statement here. This is a map of Israel with all the best wines that Israel has to offer,” Zilberberg said. “This is just a pure hate crime.”

One of the grocery store’s employees found the brick and shattered glass when coming to open the store Sunday morning.

The 54-year-old store is the only kosher grocery in the Boston area and has been in Zilberberg’s family since his grandfather opened it in 1971.

“This has never happened in the Butcherie’s history,” Zilberberg said.

Zilberberg pointed out that the vandalism occurred overnight when his fellow Jews in Israel were sheltering from Iranian ballistic missiles.

“I feel horrible as a Jewish person that we have to go through these things these days,” Zilberberg said.

Since the launch of Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion,” aimed at destroying Iranian weapons and nuclear capabilities, Iran has fired 270 missiles at Israel—22 of which have struck targets—according to the Israeli government. Thirteen people have been killed, including three children. Another 380 have been injured: 9 are in serious condition, 30 are in moderate condition, and 351 sustained minor injuries.

There is a rally planned by the local Jewish community to show support for Zilberberg at 2:00 p.m. outside the establishment. 

Anti-Semitic incidents have surged by 500% since October 7, 2023, with 1,200 reported incidents, according to data from the Anti-Defamation League.

“This is the latest in a string of attacks on the Jewish community where the words ‘Free Palestine’ were used to weaponize violence against Jews,” ADL New England said in a statement. “Holding a Jewish business accountable for the situation in the Middle East is antisemitic, plain and simple and is another example of radical anti-Israel activity resulting in violence against the Jewish community.”

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